Vacuum cleaner



March 5, 1935. G. w. ALLEN 1,993,471

VACUUM CLEANER Filed April 8, 1932 Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED sTATEs y VACUUM CLEANER George W. Allen, Boston, Mass., assigner to B. F.

Sturtevant Company,

Hyde Park, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 8, 1932, Serial No. 604,009

7 Claims.

on the cleaner and at the same time thereby automatically disconnecting the electrical connec tions to the motor. y

In the common type of domestic traveling vacuum cleaner. wherein the cleaner is propelled over the floor by the operator during the cleaning operation by means of a long handle, it is desirable to providea simple and convenient method of mounting or supporting the handle so that it may be easily removed for the purpose of more convenient packing for shipment or transportation or even storage in the home. Inasmuch as the electric cable leading from the source of supply to the motor of the cleaner is commonly passed through the handle,-it is desirable to so construct and arrange the handle mounting that no particular skill or tools will be required for the disconnection of this cable from the motor when the handle is removed.

In my prior United States Letters Patent No. 1,124,684, dated January 12, 1915, is shown a construction of handle and mounting wherein a pair of separable electrical contact members are provided, one mounted in the handle itself and forming the terminus of the electric cable in4 the handle, and the other positioned in the supporting member for the handle and connected with the cable leading to thev motor, the construction being such that upon withdrawal of the handle from its supporting member, the contact members are automatically disconnected, and the handle with its contained cable is entirely free and detached from the vacuum cleaner proper. Conversely, the mere seating of the handle in its supporting member automatically re-establishes the electrical connections to the motor.

It is the object of the present invention to improve and simplify the construction shown in the above patent wherein the handle may be easily and quickly removed. or replaced, the removal or insertion of the handle in its supporting member automatically disconnecting or reconnecting the motor from or to the cable passing through the handle.

' With this object in view, the present invention consists in'the devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and more particularly defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of so much of a vacuum cleaner as is necessary for an understanding of the pres'- ent invention, the upper portions of the handle and dust bag not being shown; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the clamping sleeve; Fig. 4 isa plan view of the connector cap carried by such sleeve; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view of the clamping sleeve alone; Fig. '7 is an elevation of the socket member carried by the handle; and Figs. 8 and 9 10 are detail views, one in sidel elevation and the other in end elevation, of the bottom end of the handle with the body member removed.

The vacuum cleaner shown in the drawing comprises the usual body or fan casing 10 having a 15 suction mouth or nozzle 12 of any suitable form and carrying an electric motor 14 for operation of the suction fan. The electric current for the motor is supplied through a three-strand cable 16 passing through the handle, the lower end of which is indicated generally at 18. The connection to the motor is by a similar three-strand cable 19.

The purpose of the three-strand cable is to provide for the use of different field windings 25 in the motor to permit different operating speeds,

a suitable switch for controlling the winding circuits being mounted in the upper portion of the handle, all as shown and claimed in my pending application filed May 27, 1932, Serial No. 613,894.

The cleaner is propelled over the surface to be cleaned by the usual hollow'ihandle of any desired or convenient length and shape, the lower end 18 being mounted in the split clamping sleeve 20 integrally formed with the bifurcated arms 22 35 pivoted on the extremities of the stationary shaft or axle 23 for the supporting Wheels 24.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the clamping sleeve 20 comprises a generally cylindrical member having a longitudinal slot 26 in 'one' side. Projecting from the sleeve on opposite sides of the slot are the ears 28 to receive a clamping screw 30. The inner corners or edges of the slot are each provided with th'e vertical longitudinal groove 32 which is closed at the bottom by lips or flanges 34 45 extending inwardly from the body of the sleeve.

The cable 19 passes fromthe motor under a clip 36 on the body 10 and upwardly to an electrical plug connector or cap 38 which is positioned within the sleeve 20. The three wires of the cable 50 are connected in any suitable fashion to contact prongs 40 of the cap, which is of a diameter to fit within the sleeve, being provided with a retaining and positioning boss 42 which is received in the y longitudinal groove 32 and engages the shoulder 34.- The cap is assembled in the sleeve before the clamping screw 30 is in place or the handle in position, the slot 26 being of sufficient width to perlip 4e adapted to be received in and positionedy by the groove 32 of the clamping sleeve. 'I'he handle carries at its lower end an electrical socket connector or body 4.6 having openings to register with the contact prongs 40 of the cap 38. As shown in Fig. 7, the body has a main portion 48 to fit snugly within the handle and a reduced upperl portion 50 which fits snugly within an insulating sleeve 52 carried inside the handle. At

'the lower end, the body is provided with a shoulder portion 54 to engage the bottom edge of the handle. The body is provided with a recess 56 illustrated as being square in shape to receive a square nut 58 into which is threaded a screw 60 passing through a hole in the handle. The three wires indicated at 16 are connected with suitable contacts of the body and lead upwardly through' the handle to any suitable manual control switch. A sheet of fibre, indicated 'at 64, is wrapped around the handle at the lower end and is held in place by the screw 60. This sheet has Wing portions 66 at the lower end to lie over the lip 44 of the handle, as shown in Fig. 2, acting as an insulating means to protect against grounding of the handle on the carriage, and thereby preventing injury either to themachine or to the operator in the event that the motor wiring becomes grounded. l In assembling preparatory to packing for shipment, it is only necessary to insert the cap 38 into the clamping sleeve prior to insertion o1' the clamping screw 3G, as described above. 'Ihe screw 30 may then be inserted and the cleaner is ready being positioned angularly by the lip 44 sliding in the groove 32. Since the cap is also positioned angularly by the groove, its prongs register accurately with the opening of the body 46, and as the handle is forced downwardly, the electrical connections are completed through the handle to the motor. 'This downward movement of th'e handle is limited by the plug connector which in turn is held by the shoulder or boss 42 engaging the flanges 34 on the clamping sleeve. 'Ihe clamping screw 30 may then be taken upto contact the sleeve and hold the handle firmly in position.

To remove the handle, it is merely necessary to loosen the clamping screw 30 and to withdraw the handle, the body being automatically disconnected from the cap which is retained in the sleeve 20. In the event that repairs to or replacements erally through the slot 26.

l driven machine comprising an annular opensided clamp carried by the machine, the clamp having a longitudmal groove with a bottom flange.

an electrical connection member received in the clamp and having a projection positioned in the groove and engaging the top face of the flange, and a handle received in the clamp and provided at its lower end with a cooperating electrical connection member, to engage the first mentioned member and clamp the same against the flange.

2. A handle construction for traveling, motor driven machinecomprising an open-sided annular clamp carried by the machine and having a longitudinal groove with a. flange at the bottom, an electrical connection member received in the clamp and having a boss positioned in the groove and engaging the top face of the flange to prevent downward removal of said member, a handle adapted to be received in the clamp and provided with a cooperating electrical contact member secured in the bottom end thereof to engage the first mentioned member to prevent upward removal thereof, means on the handle received in the groove for angularly positioning the handle, means for tightening the clamp on the handle, and electrical connections to said members the connection to the cooperating member extending upwardly through thehandle.

3. A handle connection for traveling, motor driven machine comprising a clamp carried by the machine and having a longitudinal open slot extending throughout the length of the clamp, an electrical connection member within the clamp, the clamp and member having cooperating means to prevent the member from being removed from the bottom of the clamp, a handle adapted to be received in the clamp and having a cooperating electric connection member in its end and when positioned in the clamp preventing withdrawal of the first mentioned connection member from the top of the clamp, and an electrical cable connection to said member of a diameter less than the width of the slot in the clamp.

4. A handle construction for traveling, motor driven machine comprising a clamp carried by the machine and having a longitudinal open slot extending throughout the length of the clamp,-

an electrical connection member within the clamp, the clamp and member having cooperatlng means to prevent the member from being removed from the bottom of the clamp, a handle adapted to be received in the clamp and having a cooperating electric connection member in its end and when positioned in the clamp preventing withdrawal of the first mentioned connection member from the top of the clamp, a removable clamping bolt extending across the slot to close the clamp upon the handle, and an electrical cable connection to said member, the cable being of a diameter less than the width of the slot in the clamp to permit the cable to be passed laterally therethrough after removal of the l'clamping bolt.

5. A handle construction for traveling motor driven machine comprising a clamp carried by the machine having a longitudinal slo with a transverse flange at one end thereof, an electrical connection member slidingly received linthe clamp and having a boss received lin the slot and engaged by the flange to position the member, a

handle having its end adapted to be detachably received in the clamp, and having a cooperating connection member held fixed therein to engage said first mentioned member when the handle is positioned in the clamp to hold the boss of the first mentioned member against the flange.

6. A handle construction for traveling motor ,i driven machine comprising a Kork carried by the machine, an open-sided clamp on the fork having a longitudinal slot with ay shoulder at the end thereof, an electrical connection member slidingly received in the clamp and having a boss received in the slot and engaged by the shoulder to position the member both angularly and longitudinally of the clamp, a handlehaving its lower end adapted to be received in the-clamp and said end carrying a cooperating contact member xed therein to engage the iirst mentioned member when the handle is positioned in the clamp to hold the boss of the first mentioned member against said shoulder, electrical connections to said members, and means on the handle Vto be received in the slot for angularly positioning the handle. l

7. A handle construction for traveling motor driven machine comprising a clamp carried by the machine and provided with a cylindrical passage therethrough and' with a slot extending the length of 4said. passage, an electrical connection member sliding loosely in the passage, the clamp being provided with a projection extendin inwardly of the passage adjacent one end thereof to prevent movement of the member through such end, a handle, means for clamping the handle in lthe other end or the passage, a second connection member secured in the Vend of the handle and positioned to contact with the first mentioned member to clamp the same against the projection, and electrical connections to said members, the connections to the first mentioned member being of less transverse width than said slot.

GEORGE W.' ALLEN.. 

